In a significant development, Sky Sports, Amazon Prime Video, the BBC, and two high-profile YouTube channels have secured the rights to broadcast live Bundesliga matches in the UK and Ireland for the 2025-26 season.
This comes as a significant shift from the previous arrangement, under which Sky Sports held exclusive rights to the top tier of German football.
Sky Sports, which was the standalone home of the Bundesliga last season, will now only broadcast the primetime 17.30 Saturday evening fixtures. This includes highly anticipated clashes like Der Klassiker between Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, scheduled for later in the season.
In addition to this, Sky Sports will continue to provide a highlights programme and other shoulder content throughout the week.
Amazon will now offer Bundesliga on its Prime Video service
Prime Video will air at least two German top-flight Sunday fixtures each week, along with a selection of other matches throughout the season.
These matches will be available for £2.49 per match, without the need for a Prime subscription. This model is similar to how Prime Video offers Ligue 1 and some international football on its platform.
The BBC brings elite German football to the free-to-air market
The BBC, through its website and iPlayer, will broadcast Friday night games, starting with the opening fixture between Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig on 22 August.
Simultaneously, these Friday night games will be live-streamed on two YouTube channels - Gary Neville's Sky Bet-sponsored offering 'The Overlap' and Mark Goldbridge's global fan channel 'That’s Football'.
This marks the first time a major European league has partnered with a YouTube channel in this way, making Friday night matches available free-to-air through the three different platforms.
UK-based fans of the Bundesliga can now choose to either watch on the BBC with their more traditional in-studio presentation, with pundits and commentators, or enjoy the match in the company of their favourite YouTubers, streamers or online personalities.
This is a move clearly aimed at enticing younger audiences towards the Bundesliga product.
Both YouTube channels boast over one million subscribers. 'The Overlap' was launched by former Manchester United player and now Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville, while 'That’s Football' was created by successful YouTuber Mark Goldbridge.
Key stakeholders give their reactions to mega deal
Alex Kay-Jelski, Director of BBC Sport, said:
"To be able to include Bundesliga matches within our live football offering is phenomenal, especially Bayern Munich’s opening game with England’s captain Harry Kane."
Tim Wood, Head of Rights and Business Affairs at Prime Video Sport, added:
"By expanding our Pay-Per-View selection with Bundesliga matches, we’re giving UK football fans more ways to engage with European football throughout the season without long-term commitments or subscriptions.”
Scott Melvin, CEO of The Overlap, enthused:
“The Bundesliga features some of the best footballers in the world, including England’s own Harry Kane, and to be able to offer unfettered access to these matches is an incredibly exciting moment for The Overlap."
This new arrangement promises to provide UK fans of the Bundesliga with plenty of ways to watch the likes of Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig with ease.
It should also help the league attract plenty more younger fans.
